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The sustainability gap: a practical indicator of sustainability in the framework of the national accounts

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  • Paul Ekins
  • Sandrine Simon

Abstract

The concept of sustainable development needs to be based on a clear definition of sustainability and how it is to be measured. This paper defines environmental sustainability as the maintenance of important environmental functions, and identifies seven sustainability principles that relate this requirement to current environmental issues. From these principles, the paper derives physical indicators of sustainability, organised according to the framework of the national accounts, which enables a "sustainability gap" to be estimated, comprising the difference between the current level and the environmentally sustainable level of the indicator in question. This physical "sustainability gap" can be given a monetary value according to the expenditure that would be necessary on abatement or restoration technologies to close the gap. Although the monetary "sustainability gap" cannot appropriately be used to adjust the national accounting aggregates, its value, and its ratio to GNP, provide useful information both to decision-makers and to the general public about the economic effort that would be required to achieve an environmentally sustainable economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Ekins & Sandrine Simon, 1999. "The sustainability gap: a practical indicator of sustainability in the framework of the national accounts," International Journal of Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(1), pages 32-58.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijsusd:v:2:y:1999:i:1:p:32-58
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Dietz, Simon & Neumayer, Eric, 2007. "Weak and strong sustainability in the SEEA: Concepts and measurement," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(4), pages 617-626, March.
    2. Ekins, Paul & Simon, Sandrine, 2003. "An illustrative application of the CRITINC framework to the UK," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(2-3), pages 255-275, March.
    3. Florian Flachenecker, 2015. "Sustainability, Resource Efficiency and Competitiveness. An Assessment of Resource Efficiency Policies in the European Union," Bruges European Economic Research Papers 32, European Economic Studies Department, College of Europe.
    4. Ekins, Paul & Simon, Sandrine, 2001. "Estimating sustainability gaps: methods and preliminary applications for the UK and the Netherlands," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 5-22, April.
    5. Xing, Yangang & Horner, R. Malcolm W. & El-Haram, Mohamed A. & Bebbington, Jan, 2009. "A framework model for assessing sustainability impacts of urban development," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 209-224.
    6. Comte, Adrien & Sylvie Campagne, C. & Lange, Sabine & Bruzón, Adrián García & Hein, Lars & Santos-Martín, Fernando & Levrel, Harold, 2022. "Ecosystem accounting: Past scientific developments and future challenges," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    7. Schlör, Holger & Fischer, Wolfgang & Hake, Jürgen-Friedrich, 2013. "Methods of measuring sustainable development of the German energy sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 172-181.
    8. Manso, José Ramos Pires & Behmiri, Niaz Bashiri, 2013. "Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development/Energía renovable y Desarrollo Sostenible," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 31, pages 7-34, Enero.
    9. Douguet, Jean-Marc & O'Connor, Martin, 2003. "Maintaining the integrity of the French terroir: a study of critical natural capital in its cultural context," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(2-3), pages 233-254, March.
    10. Distaso, Alba, 2007. "Well-being and/or quality of life in EU countries through a multidimensional index of sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 163-180, October.
    11. Ekins, Paul & Simon, Sandrine & Deutsch, Lisa & Folke, Carl & De Groot, Rudolf, 2003. "A framework for the practical application of the concepts of critical natural capital and strong sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(2-3), pages 165-185, March.
    12. Caroline Sullivan & Jeremy Meigh, 2007. "Integration of the biophysical and social sciences using an indicator approach: Addressing water problems at different scales," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 21(1), pages 111-128, January.

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